A Survey of the Popes Supremacy, To the reader
❧To ſuch as are learned among our aduerſaries, who ſeeme in ſingleneſſe of ſoule to ſeeke after the trueth.
THE Lord is my witneſſe whome I ſerue in my ſpirite, and to whoſe gaine I am deſirous to bestowe my talent, and whoſe glory I ſtudie to aduance, by all ſuch meanes as of his mercy he hath affoorded me, that I hauehave not written this, or any other treatiſe, becauſe I am deſirous to contend, for we hauehave no ſuch cuſtome, nor the Churches of God: much leſſe to purchaſe prayſe of learning, wherein vnfainedly I acknowledge my want and weakneſſe: but onelyonly for defence of the trueth, which in this countrey of ours, is quite forſaken of many, by reaſon of ignorance in all ſortes, which hath poſſeſſed men through their owne negligence and careleſse ſecuritie of their owne ſoules health, and is cheriſhed and increaſed, through ſoftneſſe and ſufferance of ſome ſuperiors. For if ſuch gifts of knowledge or vtterance, as God lendeth vsus, be they great or little, be giuen vsus to edifie and doe good vntounto others: then let vsus vſe the ſame to his greatest glory and gaine, for feare of his heauie diſpleaſure, if when hee call vsus to a reckoning, we bee found not to hauehave occupied to our maſters profite, becauſe he will be angry with ſuch as hide their talent in their napkin.Matth. 25. 26. But if wee abuſe theſe his good graces, to darken therewith the light of the trueth, and to encreaſe the mistes of errour, how fierce ſhall be his wrath? how hard ſhall be our iudgement? For if to be negligent to maintaine the trueth, be blame-worthie: how great then is their ſinne that impugne the ſame, and that with thoſe weapons that God hath bestowed vponupon them to defend it withall? Let vsus therefore, my wandring brethren from the plaine pathes, let vsus I ſay remember for what we ſtriue. Is it not for the trueth? where may it be found? In Gods eternall and vndoubted word. VVhat is this word? we truely affirme it with many of the Fathers to bee contained in the Scriptures of the old and new Teſtament. But of your vnwritten verities, you hauehave iuſt cauſe to doubt. If therefore there be in you any louelove to this trueth, for the which you ſay you ſtriue, any care of Gods glory, any regard of the ignorant who are (the Lord knoweth, ſoone led the wrong way) any due reſpect to your owne ſoules health,Philip 3. 16 or any feare of Gods iuſt wrath: let vsus proceed by one rule, that wee may minde one thing. Folow not I pray you, thoſe falſe apostles, thoſe craftie workemen that can tranſforme themſelues into Angels of light.2. Cor. 11. 13. Deale plainly and truely in Gods cauſe, yea, let vsus on both ſides waigh the goodnes of the proofes not cauilling about words, the trueth of the matter, not the maner of handling of it. If we ſpeake of antiquitie, let it be moſt ancient. For that is trueſt, but by and by came in hereſies: ſo that that onelyonly which was first, can bee true, as vponupon good ground Tertullian affirmeth.De praeſcript. If wee bring the Fathers, let them be of the ſoundeſt, and thoſe not maimed nor mangled. Neither must we reſt vponupon any of their doctrines, but ſuch as hauehave their warrant in the worde, and being taught of them by a generall conſent, doe iuſtly obtaine the name of Catholique. And for ſundry points of your religion, I can neuer be perſwaded, but ſuch among you as hauehave any vnfained deſire to attaine to true godlineſse, doe euen within your ſelues confeſse and acknowledge, that many things which are commended to the ſimple, as holy and helpfull for the ſauing of their ſoules, whatſoeuer ſhewe of godlines they may ſeeme to hauehave, are yet farre from the power thereof. For it cannot be, that any man or woman that maketh due account of the price of our redemption, the ranſome for our ſinnes, the precious bloud of that lambe without ſpot Christ Ieſus,1. Pet. 1. 19. can euer become ſo ſottiſh as to thinke, that obſeruing of dayes, abſtaining from ſome meates, buying of buls, pardons, halowed graines, and Agnus deis, offering to Saintes, pilgrimages, going barefoote, with haire-cloth next the skin, croſſings, or any ſuch like bodily and trifling exerciſes or works, may euer be thought of woorth, to make any recompence for our offences. If without ſheading of bloud there could bee no remiſſion,Heb. 9. 22. Heb. 9. 12. & 10. 14. (and that the bloud of Chriſt) by which wee are freed for euer, from the danger of ſinne, and hauehave eternall redemption, what can theſe trifling toyes helpe vsus therein? yea, what blaſphemie is it to match them in this worke, with that ineſtimable and peereleſse price? Nowe therefore as Ambaſſadours from Christ,2. Cor. 5. 20. as though God did beſeech you through vsus, we pray you in Chriſtes ſtead, not onelyonly to be reconciled to God (whom you hauehave grieuouſly offended:) but alſo that you will deale plainly with Gods people, and ſoundly and ſincerely in matters of religion: returne from whence you hauehave ſtraied ſo long, and ſo farre, yeeld to the truth, giuegive glory to God. Lead them not any longer into the pit of error, whom Christ hath bought with ſo rich a ranſome. Hide not the trueth from them henceforth with thoſe falſe viſardes of antiquitie and vniuerſalitie, which can neuer be prooued to be in the Romiſh religion. And ſeeing your ſelues, if you hauehave any conſciences, must confeſſe that many things are amiſſe in that you teach: bee content to follow the godly and wiſe counſel which Cyprian giueth, that we ſhould goe backe to the head,Ad Pompeium contra epistolam Stephan. if any thing bee wrong in religion, and ſo try where the fault is. As if the water faile, we will begin at the conduit, and ſo from thence ſearch where it ſtoppeth: ſo we must ſaieth he, come to that was taught in the beginning by Chriſt and his Apoſtles. And this he ſaieth, is the readieſt way to leaue errors, and to find out the trueth. Let vsus then I pray you walke in that way, let vsus vſe that man, to reforme religion. But if you hauehave ſold your tongues & pennes to ſerue the Pope, and as much as in you lieth to maintaine ſuperſtition: you ſhall find vsus by Gods grace ready at all times, to anſwere whatſoeuer you ſhalbe able to ſay. And although I bee not worthy to cary the bookes of many among vsus, that are accounted and knowen to be learned: yet will I (encouraged by the goodneſſe of the cauſe) apply my time and ſtudie, and ſlender abilitie to that end, knowing thoſe howers to be moſt happily ſpent, that are imploied to the glory of God, the benefit of the Church, and the furtherance of the Goſpel. VVherein that you may ioine with vsus, I pray God if it bee his good will, to turne your hearts, & open your eies to ſee & know that which now you ſtriue againſt. As for your ſecret practiſes against God and his people, the Lord for Christ his ſake confound them, and bring them to naught. So be it. (*)